


One More Beginning That Starts With an End

by peacefulboo



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-12
Updated: 2014-05-12
Packaged: 2018-01-24 12:38:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1605497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peacefulboo/pseuds/peacefulboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For once she feels like maybe she isn't running away and she wonders if maybe it means she's free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Beginning That Starts With an End

“I'm sorry I left like that.” As usual Sara's voice is low with that slight tremor she can't ever quite get rid of in regular conversation. 

“I know.” And he does. He gets why she had to leave, even if it happened during one of the worst weeks of his life. He sits up from where he's laying across the sofa and motions for her to sit next to him. 

“If I had known, I wouldn't...” Wouldn't have what, though? Broken up with him the day his mother was murdered? Left to get the League involved? They'd all be dead without their help. 

“Sara, it's okay. I missed you, I wanted you here, but part of me was relieved that you weren't.”

Sara nods in acknowledgment. She gets it. One less person to keep track of. One less person to feel guilty about. Yeah, she gets it. 

“So are you staying?” Oliver takes her hand in his, fiddling with her fingers as he stares into the distance. 

“I don't think so.” It comes out even softer than normal. It's not the answer she wants to give. It means leaving him, boyfriend and lover or not, but it means leaving her dad and sister and that hurts as much, if not more. 

“Yeah.”

They sit in silence for a long while, both lost in their own heads. This is what they were been best at in the few months they were together before everything with Slade came to a head. Being together in the quiet. 

“I'll miss you. Again. I always end up missing you.” Cause she needs more to feel shitty about. 

“At least this time I won't be dead,” she shrugs and gives him a wry smile. 

He chuffs out half a laugh and shakes his head at her. His smile grows as she sees the wild sparkle in her eye as she grins at him. It'd be a dick thing to say if it were anyone else but coming from her, well he's just glad anytime he can see a glimpse of the bratty girl she once was. 

“No. You won't be dead this time. You'll just be out in the world doing God knows what with no one to watch your back for who knows how long.” He's damn good at bringing the mood right back down. 

“But you won't wait for me.” It's a statement. An order. Oliver Queen is in a deep dark hole right now, and she may not be the one to help him out of it, but there are others better suited for it. She hopes he'll let them, let her, in soon. 

“No. I won't wait for you.” He agrees. Neither of them have ever been accused of being faithful lovers. Forever isn't a promise that they ever made. 

Doesn't mean this doesn't hurt like a bitch, though. 

So Oliver pulls Sara into his chest and holds her there for a moment, fierce and tight, before lifting her face up to his. 

“I love you, Sara Lance.” It's not the first time she's heard those words come from his mouth, but it might be the first time she believes them. 

“I love you, Ollie. Be good.” She kisses him hard and fierce and thoroughly before getting up. She reaches out to him again and pulls him up off the couch. 

“Sara.” He pauses at the door. “Keep in touch. I'd rather not have to resort to illegal means of finding you this time.” 

“Yeah. I'm still pissed at you for that.” She's not. 

“Noted. Don't make us go to those extremes again.”

She takes a second to take him in. He's smirking but still looks so sad, which is to be expected, but there's something about him that seems free. For once she feels like maybe she isn't running away and she wonders if maybe that means that she's just as free. 

Sara has been debating broaching a certain topic since she stopped by to say her goodbyes. Before she can stop herself, it pops out. “And, Oliver? If you haven't claimed Felicity before I get back, I give you no guarantees that I won't do my best to get to know her really, really well. That girl deserves someone amazing and that could absolutely be you if you want it to be. Don't get in your own way. I think I could stand to be adored as much as she will adore who ever she chooses to love.”

Oliver bursts out laughing at this. Not so much because it's funny, but because something about the way Sara says it makes it all seem so possible. 

“I'll see what I can do,” he concedes. Sort of. She knows it's not going to be that easy for him. 

“I'm not really kidding about what I'll do if I come back and she's not taken. She's adorable.”

“Okay, you need to go. There are thoughts appearing in my brain that I'm not going to be able to make go away.” He raises his eyebrows. 

“Something tells me it will take you a while to get there, so enjoy those thoughts, Ollie. But don't wait to long. That girl could probably use some loving.” She smirks at him again before putting on her sunglasses and turning to leave. 

They both know that their lives will never be that easy. They both know that the other has wounds that are too deep and gaping to be fixed in a good goodbye. The second Sara turns, the smile is off her face and as Oliver moves back into the new lair, he has to pause to catch his breath. It's not that they have been pretending, but neither can hold on to joy for long. Minutes is what they get now. 

But they're getting better at taking them. Maybe that's enough for now.


End file.
